Bottle cap position detector



P 1954 J. H. HOFSTETTER arm. 2,689,647

BOTTLE CAP POSITION DETECTOR Filed Sept. 2, 1952 CLICK H HORSTETTEQ, IEquz. R. WQWAND 3/ INVENTORS. 12 8.? arm :2? 11 Arroe/vEY.

Patented Sept. 21, 1954 BOTTLE CAP POSITION DETECTOR Jack H. Hofstetter,Downcy, and Paul R. Wiewandt, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to PurexCorporation, Ltd., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of CaliforniaApplication September 2, 1952, Serial No. 307,486

12 Claims.

This invention has to do with improved devices for detecting the appliedcondition of caps on machine filled and closed containers, and withparticular reference to liquid-filled bottles having screw capscontaining sealing liners which engage against the mouth rims of thebottles. The invention further contemplates an improved electricallycontrolled system for detecting misapplied caps, and for automaticallyrejecting them from the filled container line.

As is known, in the machine application of the caps to the bottles, anoccasional cap may have faulty application to the bottle for any ofvarious reasons, including misalinement of the cap and bottle threads,resulting in a cooked position of the cap on the bottle, as well asaccidental exclusion of the liner from the cap, or the inclusion of morethanthe proper single liner. In any of these events, the faultily cappedbottle should be rejected and the condition of its cap corrected.

Heretofore faulty cap detectors have been proposed and operated on theprincipal of gauging the elevation of the cap, or the high point of itstop surface, above the base on which the bottle 1 is supported. Becauseonly small distances may be involved, and since the overall verticaldimension of the bottles may vary, such proposals have lacked thedesired selectivity in accurately determining the condition of the cap.

The invention has for one 'of its objects to provide an improved capdetector which determines any faulty positioning of the cap relative tothe immediate d mension of the bottle neck, as distinguished from theoverall height of the bottle. In this connection, the present detectoris designed for use onbottles having an annular flange directly belowthe cap threads, and in a manner such that' by engagement of the body ofthe detector with the flange the latter becomes a reference base havingpractically no dimensional variation from the mouth and threads, fromwhich the cap position may begauged.

Generally consideredfthe detector comprises a holder or body adapted toride upon the bottle flange as the bottles are advanced beneath and pastthe detector, the holder being mounted for vertical movement to assureitsaccurate conformance with the elevation of the flange. The holdercarries a relatively movable detector finger the lower cap-engagingextremity of which has a predetermined spacing above the flange-engagingsurfaces of the holder, so that where lacking a liner and thereforepositioned too low on the bottle, the cap will pass beneath the fingerwithout deflecting it; or where the cap contains more than the properliner thickness, or is not fully screwed down on the bottle, or has beenscrewed in a cocked position, the finger will be excessively deflectedto actuate, through an appropriate switch, a delayed action mechanismwhich will reject the bottle. A normally and properly applied cap willdeflect the finger to only a limited degree, and to which the switchcontrol is unresponsive in its rejecting function. The invention hasvarious additional. features and objects, as well as numerous novelstructural aspects and details, all of which however will be understoodmost readily and to best advantage without necessity for furtherpreliminary discussion, from the following detailed description of atypical and illustrative embodiment of the invention shown by theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a general plan view showing the conveyed bottle line and theassociation between the cap detector and the rejecting mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged scale front elevational view of the detector;

Fig. 3 is a left side view of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view illustrating different possiblepositions of the detector finger in accordance with the condition of thebottle cap.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the cap detecting and bottle rejectingmechanisms may be applied to v a line comprising a conveyor Ill carryingliquid filled bottles II from a machine (not shown) which screws thecaps 12 on the bottles. The latter may be advanced between guides I3interrupted at the location of a reject platform or conveyor I4 and theopposed and later described pusher device l5.

The cap detector, generally indicated at I6 comprises a body or fingerand switch holder structure I! suspended from a support 18 by arm l9having a screw and slot connection at 20 with the support to permitaccurate alinement of the detectors with the bottle caps as they areadvanced beneath and past the detector.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the holder structure l1 comprises apair ofspaced side members 2| interconnected by a bolt 22 which also passesthrough and mounts between the members the body or housing 23 of anelectrical switch. The holder is suspended from one end 24 on thesupporting arm l9 by way of pin '25 secured to the underside of theflange and terminating within vertical slots 26 in the members 2|. Thusthe holder and parts carried thereby are capable of vertical movementwithin the range of the slots 28, upward movement being resisted by coilsprings 2'! confined between flange 24 and the top surface of the switchhousing 23.

At their lower ends, the side members 2| have tongue and grooveconnections at 33 with the bottom extensions 3| which are spaced apart adistance in excess of the diameter of the bottle cap [2, and which carrya pair of parallel strips or shoes 32 forming a guideway which receivesthe bottle neck immediately below the cap. As illustrated, the bottle Hhas formed directly below the cap-received screw threads, an annularflange 33 which, by reason of its direct proximity to the threaded mouthof the neck, establishes an accurate reference point or base for gaugingthe correctness of the cap position. Thus as the bottles are advanced onthe conveyor is beneath the detector, the flanges 32 ride upon thebottle flange 33, any variations in the fiange elevations due tovariances in the bottle dimensions, being compensated by the capacityfor upward displacement of the entire detector assembly. The lowerextensions 3| of the side sections of the holder may be suitablyretained, as by dowel pins 34.

Carried within the holder below the switch is a detector finger 35attached to and depending from a rotatable pin 36. The bottom gaugingextremity 35a of the finger normally is positioned at an accuratelypredetermined distance above the flanges 32, this distance being suchthat when deflected to the later described intermediate position 31, thefinger will have become elevated to the height of the top surface of anormal and properly applied cap. The detector finger 35 has the angularconfiguration shown in Fig. i, and includes a top portion 38 whichengages against the rounded end of the vertically movable switch stem39. Referring to Fig. 3, the switch housing or carrier 23 is mounted forpivotal adjustment about belt 22- toadiustably position the switch stem39 relative. to the angula-rly positioned contacting portion 38 of thedetector finger. The switch is. held in adiusted position as by screwall threaded intothe switch housing through an arouate slot ti intheside member 2 i.

It maybe assumed that when correctly applied to the bottle, the cap l2will be screwed down to the Fig. 4 position against a single sealingtioned or applied, as where the cap may not contain the liner. 42, inwhich event the cap will ride low onthe bottle, or when the cap maycontain more than a single liner, in which event the cap will bepositioned excessively high on the bottle, or where the cap and bottlethreads may be improperly mated and the can then. will assume a coclred?position as illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4..

As the bottle leaves the detector, but while the finger 35 is stillengaged against and positioned in, accordance with the elevation of thecap, the side of the bottle engages and closes a switch. 45 connectedinto an electrical circuit 4-6 in series with the switch 23.. As.illustrated in Fig. 1,. the circuit also contains a delayed action relayswitch 11 and is connected to the controller end 48 of the bottlerejector mechanism IS. The latter comprises a cylinder 49 containing apiston 50 displaceable againstv the resistance of spring 5| bycompressed air delivered through line 52,, to

so project shoe 53 on the piston rod against a faultily capped bottle Haas to displace it laterally from the conveyor IE to the reject stationor conveyor M. Delivery of air through line 52 to the cylinder isgoverned by a usual known type of electrically actuated valve in thecontroller head #8. The switch at may be of the multiple relay, delayedaction type responsive to selective actuation of the switch 23 by finger35, to cause the pusher 53 to reject the bottles having faulty caps.

Referring again to Fig. i, the switch 23 may be a normally closedmicroswitch which opens upon downward movement of the stem 39 from theFig. 4 position. Normally, in the illustrated position of finger 35,portion 38 of the latter engages the lower rounded, end of the stem atone side of its axis and maintains the stem in elevated switch closingposition. As the lower end of the finger is rotated to the dotted lineposition indicated at 3?, the upper finger extremity 38 assumes ahorizontal position, lowering the stem 39 and opening the switch. Uponcontinued swinging of the finger to the 3M position, the angularity ofthe finger extremity 38 is reversed from the Fig. a showing, and stem isis elevated to again close the switch.

In considering the operation of the system, assume first that the cap ofthe bottle advanced beneath the detector contains no liner 42. The capaccordingly will ride low on the bottle and pass beneath the finger 35without engaging it, or at least without deflecting the finger to aswitch opening position. Upon closure of the switch 45, the pneumaticpusher device i5 will be so actuated under control of the delayed actionrelay switch 47, to eject the bottle when it arrives at the i laposition. Assume next that the cap contains a single liner and isproperly screwed on the bottle. Here the cap will deflect the finger 35to its 3'5 position, opening the switch 23 and thus allowing the bottleto pass on through the conveyor system without energization of theejector. Finally, assume that the cap has. a cooked position on thebottle, as shown in- Fig. i. The raised position of the cap causes thefinger 35 to be deflected to its its position, elosing'theswitch 23 andthus conditioning the circuit upon closure of's-W-itch i5, for rejectionof the bottle.

We claim:

1. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning ofa cap on the neckof a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap,comprising a vertically movable holder adapted to ride upon saidshoulder as the bottle is advanced beneath and past the holder, meansmounting said holder at a location to engage and ride'on said shoulderand for vertical movement during operation of the device in accordancewith variations in the; height of the shoulders on a plurality ofsaidbo-ttles, a detector member car-= ried by and movable relative tosaid holder, said member being engageable by the cap and dimplaceableupwardlydifferentially by caps having different elevations-onthe bottles, and; switch means actuatedv by said member to open andclose an electrical circuit in accordance with the displacement of themember.

2. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of. a cap on. theneck. oi a bottle having a an annular shoulder on the. neck below the.cap, comprising a vertically movable holder adapted to ride upon said.shoulder. as the bottle is advanced beneath and past the holder, meansmounting said holder at a location to engage and ride on said shoulderand for vertical movement during operation of the device in accordancewith variations in the height of the shoulders on a the displacement ofthe member.

-3. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on theneck of a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap,comprisinga vertically movable holder adapted to ride upon said shoulderas the bottle is advanced beneath and past the holder, means mountingsaid holder at a location to engage and ride on said shoulder and forvertical movement during operation of the device in accordance withvariations in the height of the shoulders on a plurality of saidbottles, a detector member carried by and movable relative to saidholder, said member being engageable by the cap and displaceableupwardly differentially by caps having different elevations on thebottles, and switch means carried by the holder and actuated by saidmember to open and close an electrical circuit in accordance with thedisplacement of the member.

4. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on the neckof a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap,comprising a vertically movable holder adapted to ride upon saidshoulder as the bottle is advanced beneath and past the holder, meansmounting said holder at a location to engage and ride on said shoulderand for vertical movement during operation of the device in accordancewith variations in the height of the shoulders on a plurality of saidbottles, a detector member carried by and movable relative to saidholder, said member be ing engageable by the cap and displaceableupwardly differentially by caps having different elevations on thebottles, switch means carried by the holder and actuated by said memberto open and close an electrical circuit in accordance with thedisplacement of the member, and means for adjusting the position of saidswitch means relative to said member.

5. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on the neckof a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap,comprising a vertically movable holder comprising a pair of spacedparallel surfaces between which the bottle neck is received and adaptedto ride upon said shoulderas the bottle is advanced beneath and past theholder, means mounting said holder at a location to engageand ride onsaid shoulder and for vertical movement during operation of the devicein accordance with variations in the height of the shoulders on aplurality of said bottles, a detector member carried by and movablerelative to said holder, said member being engageable by the cap anddisplaceable upwardly differentially by caps having different elevationson the bottles, and switch means actuated by said member to open andclose an electrical circuit in accordance with the displacement of themember.

6. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on the neckof a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap,comprising a support, a holder having a bottom portion adapted to rideupon said shoulder as the bottle is advanced beneath and past theholder, means suspending the holder from the support at a location toengage and ride on said shoulder and for vertical movement duringoperation of the device in accordance with variations in the height ofthe shoulders on a plurality of said bottles, yielding means resistingupward movement of the holder relative to the support, a detector membercarried by and movable relative to said holder, said member beingengageable by the cap and displaceable upwardly difierentially by capshaving different elevations on the bottles, and switch means actuated bysaid member to open and close an electrical circuit in accordance withthe displacement of the member.

'7. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on theneck of a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap,comprising a vertically movable holder having spaced sides adapted toreceive between them the bottle cap and to ride upon said shoulder asthe bottle is advanced past the holder, means mounting said holder at alocation to engage and ride on said shoulder and for vertical movementduring operation of the device in accordance with variations in theheight of the shoulders on a. plurality of said bottles, a detectorfinger pivotally depending between said sides to be engageable with anddeflectible by the bottle cap, and a switch carried by the holder abovesaid finger and operable thereby to open and close an electrical circuitin accordance with the displacement of the finger.

8. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on the neckof a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap,comprising a vertically movable holder having spaced sides adapted toreceive between them the bottle cap and to ride upon said shoulder asthe bottle is advanced past the holder, means mounting said holder at alocation to engage and ride on said shoulder and for vertical movementduring operation of the device in accordance with variations in theheight of the shoulders on a,

plurality of said bottles, a detector finger pivotally depending betweensaid sides to be engageable with and deflectible by the bottle cap, aswitch carried by the holder above said finger and operable thereby toopen and close an electrical circuit in accordance with the displacementof the finger, and means for variably adjusting the relative positionsof the switch and finger.

9. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on the neckof a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap,comprising a vertically movable holder adapted to ride upon saidshoulder as the bottle is advanced beneath and past the holder, meansmounting said holder at a location to engage and ride on said shoulderand for vertical movement during operation of the device in accordancewith variations in the height of the shoulders on a plurality of saidbottles, a detector member carried by and movable relative to saidholder, said member being engageable by the cap and displaceableupwardly differentially by caps having difierent elevations on thebottles, and switch means actuated by said member to open and close anelectrical circuit in accordance with "the displacement of the member,said detector member having a switch engaging surface movableprogressively downwardly and then upwardly in response to continuedupward movement of the cap-engaging portion of the member.

10. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on theneck oi a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap,comprising a vertically movable holder having spaced. sides adapted toreceive between them the bottle cap and to ride upon said shoulder asthe bottle is advanced past the holder, means mounting said holder at alocation to engage and ride on said shoulder and for vertical movementduring operation of the device in accordance with variations in theheight of the shoulders on a plurality of said bottles, a detectorfinger pivotally-dep'ending between said sides to be engageable with.and deflectible by the bottle cap, and a switch carried by the holderabove said finger and operable thereby to open and close an electricalcircuit in accordance with the displacement of the finger, said fingerhaving upper angu' said shoulder and for vertical movement duringoperation of the device in accordance with varia tions in the height ofthe shoulders on a plurality of said bottles,- adetector member carriedby and movable relative to said holder, said member being engageable bythe cap and displaceable up- 8 wardly differentially by caps havingdifferent elevations on the bottles, switch means actuated by saidmember to open and close an electrical circuit in accordance with thedisplacement of the member, and electrically controlled bottledisplacement means actuated by said switch.

12. A device for detecting the incorrect positioning of a cap on theneck of a bottle having an annular shoulder on the neck below the cap,comprising a vertically movable holder having spaced sides adapted toreceive between them the bottle cap and to ride upon said shoulder asthe bottle is advanced past the holder, means mounting said holder at alocation to engage and ride on said shoulder andior vertical movementduring operation of the device in accordance with variations in theheight of the shoulders on a plurality of said bottles, a detectorfinger pivotally depending between said sides to be engageable with anddeflectible by the bottle cap, a switch carried by the holder above saidfinger and operable thereby to open and close an electrical circuitinaccordance with the displacement of the finger, and electricallycontrolled bottle displacement means actuated by said switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date' 2,314,310 Jackson et al Mar.'16, 1943 2,346,583 Jackson Apr.11, 1944 2,352,091 Fedorchak June 20, 1944 2,355,719 Fedrochak Aug. 15,1944 2,368,796 Ardell Feb. 6, 195

